Saturday, 29 May 2010

A surprise Bright-line Brown-eye (Lacanobia oleracea)

I was surprised to find this Bright-line Brown-eye in my emergence tank yesterday. I had forgotten finding a caterpillar of this species climbing the inside of my shed door on 20th September 2009.

I am not sure which foodplant this polyphagous larva had been eating but there is plenty of choice in my weed-filled garden! As can be seen from this photograph the caterpillar is quite distinctive.

This morning an Esperia sulpurella was on the inside of the patio door. The larvae of this species feed on dead wood and the adults fly in the day-time during May and June. I have rarely used my light trap this season and am enjoying finding things to photograph as they turn-up.

Water Avens (Geum rivale) is one of the wildflowers that I determined to familiarise myself with this year. It is not uncommon and grows beside streams and in areas of damp woodland.